Category: Archive

2025-26 Fort Plain Central School District Pre-Kindergarten Program

Download a printable version of the 2025-26 Fort Plain Central School District Pre-Kindergarten Program Handbook. 

Our Mission

The Fort Plain Central School District’s Universal Prekindergarten Program is committed to providing all children a safe, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate environment that promotes social-emotional, cognitive, and physical growth, as well as a positive self-image and love of learning. The program helps children begin their educational journeys and ensure they are prepared for kindergarten.

Note: Enrollment is not guaranteed.  Should registration interest exceed our enrollment capacity, a random lottery to select participants will be conducted. *Lotteries are designed to ensure equitable access for all families to our Pre-K Program.

Prerequisites

• Students must be four years of age on or before Dec. 1 and eligible for Kindergarten the following year.
• All required paperwork and mandatory academic screening must be completed to determine eligibility before acceptance into the program.
• Students must attend the program daily unless the student is sick.
• The program will follow all federal and state regulations.

General Information

Harry Hoag Elementary School
25 High Street, Fort Plain, NY 13339

Main Office Phone Number: 518-993-4000 Ext. 3059

www.fortplain.org

Principal:  Mrs. Amy Bartholomew

Teachers:   Mrs. Stephanie Parkinson and Mrs. Joanne Kennedy

Teacher Assistants:  Mrs. Melonie Heroth

UPK Committee Members

Stephanie Parkinson, Joanne Kennedy, Melonie Heroth, Amy Bartholomew, Kira Swanson, Amber Genova and parents.

Lottery

Enrollment is not guaranteed. If registration interest exceeds our enrollment capacity, a random lottery to select participants will be conducted on the second Thursday of July. A lottery is designed to ensure equitable access for all families to our Pre-K program. Parents/guardians will be notified in writing of their child’s enrollment status after the day of the lottery.

Lottery Process

• Each application will be labeled with a number and that same corresponding number will be placed on a folded paper and placed in a container.
• A neutral staff member will randomly draw papers from the container and announce each number pulled out aloud. The staff member will continue to draw papers until the bowl is empty.
• The Principal will record the order of selection.
  • Ex.  Staff announces, “1”.  Principal records “1” in the #1 spot. Staff member announces, “14”.  Principal records “14” in the #2 spot.
• The Main Office Secretary will then cross walk the selection list with the applications to create a list of names.

Program Components

A safe, nurturing, and educationally stimulating environment is provided in which learners develop a positive self-image, as well as a strong foundation of social, personal, and readiness skills for the beginning of school.  Students are encouraged to grow socially and intellectually through interactions with each other and caring adults and by participating in developmentally appropriate hands-on learning experiences.

The New York State Prekindergarten Learning Standards are organized into five broad developmental and interrelated domains.

A brief description of each domain appears below:

A brief description of each domain appears below:

• Domain 1: Approaches to Learning. How children become involved in learning and acquiring knowledge.
• Domain 2: Physical Development and Health. Children’s physical health and ability to engage in daily activities, both outdoors and inside.
• Domain 3: Social and Emotional Learning. The emotional competence and ability to form positive relationships that give meaning to children in the home, school and larger community.
• Domain 4: Communication, Language and Literacy Part A and Part B. How children understand, create and communicate meaning.
• Domain 5: Cognition and Knowledge of the World (Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Arts. What children need to know and understand about their world and how they apply what what they know.

Instructional materials and equipment are arranged in learning centers that promote a balance of teacher initiated and child-initiated activities.

Students are screened as new entrants as set forth in the part 117 of the Regulations of the Commissioner.

The required assessments for NYS-funded prekindergarten programs fall into distinct categories: screening new entrants, establishing a developmental baseline (pre-test), progress monitoring, and outcome assessment (post-test). These assessments are required for all prekindergarten students enrolled in district classrooms.

Assessment is the “where are we now” and “where should we go next” of the instructional cycle.  There are multiple types of assessment, each with different functions.  Assessments used in Pre-k are developmentally appropriate.  The assessments screen for social-emotional growth, academic achievement, physical development and mental cognition.  The teachers will communicate the results of the assessments. Students in pre-K will not be given Standardized Testing.

School Calendar

Pre-K will follow the regular school calendar for holidays, vacations and emergency closings.

Communication

Fort Plain Central School District uses Parent Square for  to communicate with parents, guardians, students and staff via email, text and app notifications.

It is free to sign up and easy to use. Visit: ParentSquare Login/Create Account

Procedures for Student Arrival/Dismissal

Transportation to and from school will be provided by the school bus for any students who are 4 years of age. If your child begins the school year as a 3 year old, he/she must be transported by an adult until he/she comes of age to be eligible to ride the bus per New York State Law.

The school day will run 7:50 a.m. – 2:35 p.m.

For your child’s safety, it is required that each person authorized to pick up your child is listed on the appropriate enrollment form.  We will not release your child into someone’s care who has not been previously authorized by you in writing.  We will ask for identification for all newly authorized individuals.

Meals

Students will be provided with breakfast, lunch and a snack.  There is no charge for the meals.  All meals will be served in the classroom.  Please notify the School Nurse and teacher of any allergy concerns.

Health

All students attending UPK must have the required immunizations and proof of blood lead test and physical exam as mandated by State Law.  Students will not be allowed to enter the UPK Program without official proof of those immunizations and lead test.

Students who need to take medication prescribed by a physician are eligible for the program.  Parents need to provide a note from the doctor giving the school nurse permission to administer the medication.  An adult must transport the medication to school in a pharmacy labeled container. Children cannot transport medication.

If a student exhibits any of the following symptoms, he/she will not be allowed to attend the program for that day.  Should your child become sick while attending the program, we will call you to pick your child up immediately.

• Fever of 100 degrees or above.
• Earache or drainage from ear.
• Vomiting or severe abdominal pain.
• Diarrhea.
• Unusual fatigue, too sleepy to sit in class.
• Severe coughing, sneezing, or thick nasal discharge.
• Sore throat that is severe, persisting longer than 48 hours.
• Drainage in the eyes.
• Unidentified skin rash, crusted sores around mouth and nose.

Many of these conditions will require you to check with your healthcare provider. Please keep your child home if any of these symptoms occur.  We know how quickly illnesses can be transmitted from child to child. It is important for all children and staff to have a healthy environment in our UPK Program.